Just 4 ingredients, a Long Vodka is lemonade-based and ready in under 5 minutes. With a touch of lime and vodka, this drink is summer-ready and totally refreshing.
Served on the rocks, this is the perfect cocktail to sip on when the weather warms up! You know I love easy vodka recipes and this Long Vodka recipe is super simple!
I'm a big fan of making cocktails at home, but I draw the line at fancy preparations. While I've seen some recipes suggest you "rinse" the glass with bitters before adding ice and making the rest of the drink, that's not happening.
I'm always on the lookout for easy, refreshing drinks that don't need off-the-wall ingredients. And a Long Vodka is exactly that!
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Why This Recipe Works
When I first heard the name, I definitely thought this cocktail was like a Long Island Iced Tea. But it isn't even close!
While I don't have any desire to learn bartender terms and legit techniques, I do enjoy exploring classic and not as popular cocktails especially when I can make delicious drinks without having my bar area take over the house.
With lemonade as the base, it's easy to make and will have a familiar flavor you love. So while you might not have known the vodka and lemonade name, now you do!
Long cocktails tend to be better for people who don't love the taste of alcohol or prefer something with citrus flavors.
This Long Vodka recipe is a great idea for parties because it should appeal to everyone!
Also check out my Ginger Tequila Lemonade, Rosé Lemonade and Lemonade Moscow Mule. I mean, you'll have leftover lemonade anyway!
Ingredients
In most of the recipes that I came across, a true Long Vodka needs lemonade and lime cordial. I had to look up what a lime cordial was and it's just Rose's Lime Juice.
I have actually started to use Rose's a little bit in my cocktails (like this Vodka Gimlet!) because I love the touch of sweetness it adds to drinks without it being over the top.
I'm a fan of easy mixed drinks and I really think most drinks need a touch of fresh citrus so I swapped the lime cordial for fresh lime juice especially because I used store-bought lemonade. You do what feels right to you!
You can use fresh lemonade (or even Lavender Lemonade) if you prefer which would be delicious, but store-bought keeps things super simple.
While you only need a few drops of bitters, I suggest you don't skip it! It's the perfect finishing touch that adds a depth of flavor that really rounds out the flavor.
Beluga Noble Russian Vodka Review
I think someone gave this bottle of Beluga Noble Russian vodka to my husband for some reason. I just grabbed it to use when creating my vodka cocktails.
But I recently did a little taste test of 5 of the vodkas I had in my cupboard so I thought I'd share my thoughts on this one.
Let me preface this by saying I am not a vodka or spirits expert. This is just me, as a regular gal, sharing my thoughts. I noticed that it didn't have a lot of aromas. But it did have a lot of flavors.
It wasn't a bad flavor, but when you are mixing cocktails, you want something that is pretty neutral.
There is a little bit of a burn when you swallow which makes you think it is stronger, even though it might be the same proof as another vodka.
I would use this in a cocktail that requires only an ounce of vodka. Any more than that might overpower the other flavors.
How to Make A Long Vodka Cocktail
To a tall skinny glass (or whatever you have because I am not the cocktail police) add your vodka.
If you are new to making cocktails or not a big drinker, I suggest you go easy on the vodka. You can always add more, but you can't take it away if you add too much.
1 oz is always a good starting point, especially if you aren't a big drinker.
Add the lemonade. I love this jigger for keeping measuring easy.
Add your fresh lime. Again, fresh lime is just one of my favorite flavors ever but you can keep things more traditional by using Rose's lime if you prefer.
Give it a little stir (and in your head hum "Stir it Up" by Bob Marley - it happens anytime I hear or write, "stir it up".)
Add a few drops of bitters (don't skip this! Bitters make everything better!)
For real. Bitters are the best! It adds so much depth of flavor and is the perfect finisher to so many cocktails!
Plus bitters are a really fun way to play around with a recipe and change the flavor profile a little bit. Lavender bitters, which I sometimes use in my favorite bitters and soda drink would also be delicious!
Garnish your Long Vodka. A simple lemon slice will work fine.
I'm going to be straight with you. There are very few times I garnish my drink if I don't have company over.
BUT! I will always add a fresh herb to my Moscow Mule Recipes and fresh citrus to my wine spritzers.
Doesn't this Long Vodka lemonade sound refreshing?? I think this is the perfect drink to take on vacation.
Top Tips
- If you need this drink to be a little bit sweeter you can always add in some simple syrup.
- I buy the pre-made kind by Stirrings because making your own is a time-consuming process. This vanilla cinnamon syrup, from my favorite punch recipe, is worth it!
- If you don't have fresh lime juice, use Rose's lime juice. Plus it's easy to always have on hand for cocktails.
- Make sure to chill your lemonade and vodka before making for the best results. You can make this in a cocktail shaker to chill it, but it's just as delicious served over ice.
- To get the most juice out of your lime, I prefer this citrus squeezer.
Frequently Asked Questions
I had to do a little research on this cocktail. From what I can tell, there are a few recipes floating around but not a whole lot of history. It appears to be a vodka cocktail that is popular (and maybe created) in Scotland.
A "long" cocktail refers to a mixed drink recipe that uses a relatively large amount of mixer in comparison to how much alcohol is in the drink (like this Iced Tea Vodka). So the name makes a bit of sense.
Don't forget to taste it and add whatever you feel would make it taste even better. Maybe that's more lemonade. Maybe it's more lime juice. Maybe it's leaving the bitters out altogether.
Start paying attention to what you like (and don't like) and that will help you the next time you mix a drink at home.
Just buy one big jug of lemonade (or make your own. You can use it to make a Long Vodka by the pitcher. But it also means that any kids around can have lemonade too. Just make sure to label everything well so your kids don't grab the wrong pitcher.
Have you ever heard of a Long Vodka?? You could totally also make this with flavored vodka (I prefer to make my own DIY flavored vodka but I also like the Skinny Girl Cucumber vodka).
Does this Long Vodka sound like something you would try? Leave a comment and let me know if you've ever heard of this or decide to make it!
What Else Can You Make With These Ingredients
I try to look for ways to get multiple uses out of my bar ingredients. With the Long Vodka ingredients I can make:
- vodka gimlet
- lemonade martini
- non-alcoholic limeade
- make a Long Vodka and use limeade instead of lemonade
- mix lemonade and bitters
- swap out the vodka for gin or tequila
Related Recipes
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Long Vodka
Ingredients
- 1 ½ oz. Vodka
- 3 oz. Lemonade I like Simply Lemonade as I think it tastes the closest to homemade
- ½ oz. lime juice
- 2 dashes bitters
Instructions
- Fill a tall glass with ice and top with vodka.
- Add lemonade, lime juice and stir with a bar spoon.
- Top with bitters and enjoy.
- Garnish with lemon slices.
Notes
- If you need this drink to be a little bit sweeter you can always add in some simple syrup.
- I buy the pre-made kind by Stirrings because making your own is a time-consuming process. This vanilla cinnamon syrup, from my favorite punch recipe, is worth it!
- If you don't have fresh lime juice, use Rose's lime juice. Plus it's easy to always have on hand for cocktails.
- Make sure to chill your lemonade and vodka before making for the best results. You can make this in a cocktail shaker to chill it, but it's just as delicious served over ice.
- To get the most juice out of your lime, I prefer this citrus squeezer.
Kobuu says
Can you modify this to put the type of bitters in the recipe?! No mention anywhere in this post and I was only able to glean it from your pictures. There are SO many kinds of bitters.
Sharon Garofalow says
Yes! You can use whatever kind of bitters you think would pair well with lemonade. Something spicy might be delicious. I'm not sure that chocolate bitters would be good, but most of them would be really tasty!
Kate says
In Scotland we always put the bitters in first run it around the glass then pour it out, after that ad your vodka, lime cordial and lemonade.
Sharon Garofalow says
Thank you for sharing this! I can't wait to try it this way.
Amy Smith says
It looks tasty!! I want to try this one as well